The fir tree from the Steyrtal Federal Forestry Operation in Upper Austria, which previously graced the Schönbrunn culture and Christmas market, was felled today and handed over to the herd of five elephants. “She obviously had fun with the traditional winter surprise,” said a broadcast from the zoo.
The elephant cow Numbi was the first to brave the fragrant fir tree. With a small branch she dashed back to Tonga the elephant and her daughters Mongu and Iqhwa. Shortly thereafter, the bull elephant Tembo plunged into the woody adventure. Together they nibbled and plucked curiously at needles and branches and pulled the prickly wood through the complex. “The untreated tree is primarily a creative activity for the elephants. They scrape off the bark and use it as a scratching post, for example. A welcome change for our herd of elephants,” says zoo director Stephan Hering-Hagenbeck.
Experts from the City of Vienna’s Forestry Office took care of the scheduled handover of the Christmas tree. At 8 a.m. they felled the 18-meter-high and 150-year-old fir tree in the courtyard in front of Schönbrunn Palace. The softwood was then cut into pieces and transported to the neighboring zoo by truck. Christmas market organizer Gabriela Schmidle (MTS Vienna) was pleased to be able to celebrate the beginning of the year with this tradition: “The handing over of the Christmas tree to the elephants has become a New Year’s custom that I have come to love Do not imagine the Schönbrunn Palace Christmas market. “
Source: Nachrichten
